Nina Hossain to host Kent Press & Broadcast Awards

A journalist for more than 20 years, Ms Hossain is taking a break from her duties at ITV to host the KPBA ceremony at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury on Friday 12 July.

Entries are now open for the not-for-profit awards scheme, which is organised by Tunbridge Wells-based PR and marketing agency Maxim, and is designed to celebrate and reward regional and local journalism.

Nina Hossain said: “I’m delighted to be hosting this year’s Kent Press and Broadcast Awards. It is more important than ever that we recognise the vital and valuable contribution regional and local journalism plays, and reward those who are doing the very best of it in the county.”

Nina began her broadcasting career after graduating from Durham University and obtaining a post-graduate diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Central Lancashire.

Born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, Nina is a champion for a representative workforce. She advocates more opportunities for budding journalists that don’t have the privilege of a prestigious education or upbringing, and celebrates her Yorkshire ‘twang’.

She joined ITV in 2004, after being poached from BBC London, and now appears weekly on the ITV Lunchtime News, is the main anchor for ITV News London and also presents News at Ten.

Nina covered the London 2012 Olympics and has picked up three Royal Television Society Awards.

Maxim’s Rachel Knight said: “We are so pleased Nina agreed to host this year’s awards ceremony and we are looking forward to her hearing about her experiences as a journalist.

“It is very important to us that KPBA evolves, just as the local media does. In consultation with the judges, we’ve changed a few categories this year so they better reflect the day-to-day work that takes place in Kent’s newsrooms. We wanted to be able to recognise the individuals and organisations that are making a real difference to their community, whether that be through campaigns, sponsorship, events or even giving talks to schools or community groups – the ‘Commitment to the Community’ award will do just that.

“We also recognise that digital is becoming increasingly important so we have introduced ‘Media Innovation of the Year’ and ‘Best Use of Digital Media’, which we hope will encourage entries from people using different tactics to attract, inform and retain readers, listeners or viewers.”

This year sees a new judge join the independent panel that reviews every entry. Graham Jones is a former national sports journalist, and now works as a lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University, specialising in online journalism, and as a sessional sports journalism lecturer at the University of East London.

He joins Gillian Hargreaves, who spent 25 years with BBC News; Rebecca Smith, former senior editor for Kent Regional News and Media; Leo Whitlock, a local newspaper journalist for more than 20 years, much of which was spent at the KM Media Group; Susie Boniface, a national journalist known as Fleet Street Fox; PA photographer Gareth Fuller; digital consultant Patrick Fuller; and journalist and lecturer Dr Sarah Lonsdale.

Rachel added: “We would like to thank all our sponsors – without them KPBA simply couldn’t happen. We still have a few categories left to be sponsored – so if you are interested in supporting the county’s media and taking advantage of this unique opportunity to network with many of Kent’s journalists and senior editors, please get in touch.”